Chapter 10

Abusive <Xpage=7>

A*bu"sive (#) , a. [Cf. F. abusif , fr. L. abusivus .] 1. Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied.

I am . . . necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly, according to the abusive acceptation thereof. Fuller.

2. Given to misusing; also, full of abuses. [Archaic] "The abusive prerogatives of his see."

Hallam.

3. Practicing abuse; prone to ill treat by coarse, insulting words or by other ill usage; as, an abusive author; an abusive fellow.

4. Containing abuse, or serving as the instrument of abuse; vituperative; reproachful; scurrilous. "An abusive lampoon."

Johnson.

5. Tending to deceive; fraudulent; cheating. [Obs.] "An abusive treaty."

Bacon.

Syn. -- Reproachful; scurrilous; opprobrious; insolent; insulting; injurious; offensive; reviling.

Abusively <Xpage=7>

A*bu"sive*ly , adv. In an abusive manner; rudely; with abusive language.

Abusiveness <Xpage=7>

A*bu"sive*ness , n. The quality of being abusive; rudeness of language, or violence to the person.

Pick out mirth, like stones out of thy ground, Profaneness, filthiness, abusiveness . Herbert.

Abut <Xpage=7>

A*but" (#) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Abutted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Abutting .] [OF. abouter , aboter ; cf. F. aboutir , and also abuter ; a (L. ad ) + OF. boter , buter , to push: cf. F. bout end, and but end, purpose.] To project; to terminate or border; to be contiguous; to meet; -- with on , upon , or against ; as, his land abuts on the road .

Abutilon <Xpage=7>

A*bu"ti*lon (#) , n. [Ar. aub\'d4t\'c6l\'d4n .] (Bot.) A genus of malvaceous plants of many species, found in the torrid and temperate zones of both continents; -- called also Indian mallow .

Abutment <Xpage=7>

A*but"ment (#) , n. 1. State of abutting.

2. That on or against which a body abuts or presses ; as (a) (Arch.) The solid part of a pier or wall, etc., which receives the thrust or lateral pressure of an arch, vault, or strut . Gwilt . (b) (mech.) A fixed point or surface from which resistance or reaction is obtained, as the cylinder head of a steam engine, the fulcrum of a lever, etc. (c) In breech-loading firearms, the block behind the barrel which receives the pressure due to recoil.

Abuttal <Xpage=7>

A*but"tal (#) , n. The butting or boundary of land, particularly at the end; a headland.

Spelman.

Abutter <Xpage=7>

A*but"ter (#) , n. One who, or that which, abuts. Specifically, the owner of a contiguous estate; as, the abutters on a street or a river .

Abuzz <Xpage=7>

A*buzz" (#) , a. [Pref. a- + buzz .] In a buzz; buzzing. [Colloq.]

Dickens.

Aby, Abye <Xpage=7>

A*by" , A*bye" (#) , v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Abought (#) .] [AS. \'bebycgan to pay for; pref. \'be- (cf. Goth. us- , Ger. er- , orig. meaning out ) + bycgan to buy. See Buy , and cf. Abide .] 1. To pay for; to suffer for; to atone for; to make amends for; to give satisfaction. [Obs.]

Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear. Shak.

2. To endure; to abide. [Obs.]

But nought that wanteth rest can long aby . Spenser.

Abysm <Xpage=7>

A*bysm" (#) , n. [OF. abisme ; F. abime , LL. abyssimus , a superl. of L. abyssus ; Gr. <?/. See Abyss .] An abyss; a gulf. "The abysm of hell."

Shak.

Abysmal <Xpage=7>

A*bys"mal (#) , a. Pertaining to, or resembling, an abyss; bottomless; unending; profound.

Geology gives one the same abysmal extent of time that astronomy does of space. Carlyle.

Abysmally <Xpage=7>

A*bys"mal*ly , adv. To a fathomless depth; profoundly. " Abysmally ignorant."

G. Eliot.

Abyss <Xpage=7>

A*byss" (#) , n. [L. abyssus a bottomless gulf, fr. Gr. <?/ bottomless; <?/ priv. + <?/ depth, bottom.] 1. A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable, and, specifically, hell, or the bottomless pit.

Ye powers and spirits of this nethermost abyss . Milton.

The throne is darkness, in the abyss of light. Dryden.

2. Infinite time; a vast intellectual or moral depth.

The abysses of metaphysical theology. Macaulay.

In unfathomable abysses of disgrace. Burke.

3. (Her.) The center of an escutcheon.

&hand; This word, in its leading uses, is associated with the cosmological notions of the Hebrews, having reference to a supposed illimitable mass of waters from which our earth sprung, and beneath whose profound depths the wicked were punished.

Encyc. Brit.

Abyssal <Xpage=7>

A*byss"al (#) , a. [Cf. Abysmal .] Belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable.

Abyssal zone (Phys. Geog.) , one of the belts or zones into which Sir E. Forbes divides the bottom of the sea in describing its plants, animals, etc. It is the one furthest from the shore, embracing all beyond one hundred fathoms deep. Hence, abyssal animals, plants, etc.

Abyssinian <Xpage=7>

Ab`ys*sin"i*an (#) , a. Of or pertaining to Abyssinia.

Abyssinian gold , an alloy of 90.74 parts of copper and 8.33 parts of zink.

Ure.

Abyssinian <Xpage=7>

Ab`ys*sin"i*an , n. 1. A native of Abyssinia.

2. A member of the Abyssinian Church.

Acacia <Xpage=7>

A*ca"ci*a (#) , n. (Antiq.) A roll or bag, filled with dust, borne by Byzantine emperors, as a memento of mortality. It is represented on medals.

Acacia <Xpage=7>

A*ca"cia (#) , n. ; pl. E. Acacias (#) , L. Acaci\'91 (#) . [L. from Gr. <?/; orig. the name of a thorny tree found in Egypt; prob. fr. the root ak to be sharp. See Acute .] 1. A genus of leguminous trees and shrubs. Nearly 300 species are Australian or Polynesian, and have terete or vertically compressed leaf stalks, instead of the bipinnate leaves of the much fewer species of America, Africa, etc. Very few are found in temperate climates.

2. (Med.) The inspissated juice of several species of acacia; -- called also gum acacia , and gum arabic .

Acacin, Acacine <Xpage=7>

Ac"a*cin , Ac"a*cine (#) , n. Gum arabic.

Academe <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*deme" (#) , n. [L. academia . See Academy .] An academy. [Poetic]

Shak.

Academial <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*de"mi*al (#) , a. Academic. [R.]

Academian <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*de"mi*an (#) , n. A member of an academy, university, or college.

Academic, Academical <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*dem"ic (#) , Ac`a*dem"ic*al (#) , a. [L. academicus : cf. F. acad\'82migue . See Academy .] 1. Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato; as, the Academic sect or philosophy .

2. Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning; scholarly; literary or classical, in distinction from scientific. " Academic courses." Warburton . " Academical study." Berkeley .

Academic <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*dem"ic , n. 1. One holding the philosophy of Socrates and Plato; a Platonist.

Hume.

2. A member of an academy, college, or university; an academician.

Academically <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*dem`ic*al*ly , adv. In an academical manner.

Academicals <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*dem"ic*als (#) , n. pl. The articles of dress prescribed and worn at some colleges and universities.

Academician <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*de*mi"cian (#; 277) , n. [F. acad\'82micien . See Academy .] 1. A member of an academy, or society for promoting science, art, or literature, as of the French Academy, or the Royal Academy of arts.

2. A collegian. [R.]

Chesterfield.

Academicism <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*dem"i*cism (#) , n. 1. A tenet of the Academic philosophy.

2. A mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.

Academism <Xpage=7>

A*cad"e*mism (#) , n. The doctrines of the Academic philosophy. [Obs.]

Baxter.

Academist <Xpage=7>

A*cad"e*mist (#) , n. [F. academiste .] 1. An Academic philosopher.

2. An academician. [Obs.]

Ray.

Academy <Xpage=7>

A*cad"e*my (#) , n. ; pl. Academies (#) . [F. acad\'82mie , L. academia . Cf. Academe .] 1. A garden or grove near Athens (so named from the hero Academus ), where Plato and his followers held their philosophical conferences; hence, the school of philosophy of which Plato was head.

2. An institution for the study of higher learning; a college or a university. Popularly, a school, or seminary of learning, holding a rank between a college and a common school.

3. A place of training; a school. " Academies of fanaticism."

Hume.

4. A society of learned men united for the advancement of the arts and sciences, and literature, or some particular art or science; as, the French Academy ; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; academies of literature and philology.

5. A school or place of training in which some special art is taught; as, the military academy at West Point; a riding academy ; the Academy of Music.

Academy figure (Paint.) , a drawing usually half life-size, in crayon or pencil, after a nude model.

Acadian <Xpage=7>

A*ca"di*an (#) , a. Of or pertaining to Acadie, or Nova Scotia. " Acadian farmers." Longfellow . -- n. A native of Acadie.

Acadian epoch (Geol.) , an epoch at the beginning of the American paleozoic time, and including the oldest American rocks known to be fossiliferous. See Geology . -- Acadian owl (Zo\'94l.) , a small North American owl (Nyctule Acadica) ; the saw-whet.

Acajou <Xpage=7>

Ac"a*jou (#) , n. [F. See Cashew .] (Bot.) (a) The cashew tree; also, its fruit. See Cashew . (b) The mahogany tree; also, its timber.

Acaleph, Acalephan <Xpage=7>

Ac"a*leph (#) , Ac`a*le"phan (#) n. ; pl. Acalephs (#) , Acalephans (#) . [See Acaleph\'91 .] (Zo\'94l.) One of the Acaleph\'91.

Acaleph\'91 <Xpage=7>

Ac`a*le"ph\'91 (#) , n. pl. [NL., from Gr. <?/, a nettle.] A group of C\'d2lenterata, including the Medus\'91 or jellyfishes, and hydroids; -- so called from the stinging power they possess. Sometimes called sea nettles .

Acalephoid <Xpage=7>

Ac`ale"phoid (#) , a. [ Acaleph + -oid .] (Zo\'94l.) Belonging to or resembling the Acaleph\'91 or jellyfishes.

Acalycine, Acalysinous <Xpage=7>

A*cal"y*cine (#) , Ac`a*lys`i*nous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ priv. + <?/ calyx.] (Bot.) Without a calyx, or outer floral envelope.

Acanth <Xpage=7>

A*canth" (#) , n. Same as Acanthus .

Acantha <Xpage=7>

A*can"tha (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ thorn, fr. <?/ point. See Acute .] 1. (Bot.) A prickle.

2. (Zo\'94l.) A spine or prickly fin.

3. (Anat.) The vertebral column; the spinous process of a vertebra.

Dunglison.

Acanthaceous <Xpage=7>

Ac"an*tha"ceous (#) , a. 1. Armed with prickles, as a plant.

2. (Bot.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the family of plants of which the acanthus is the type.

<page="10"> Page 10

Acanthine <Xpage=10>

A*can"thine (#) , a. [L. acanthinus , Gr. <?/, thorny, fr. <?/. See Acanthus .] Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the plant acanthus.

Acanthocarpous <Xpage=10>

A*can`tho*car"pous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ thorn + <?/ fruit.] (Bot.) Having the fruit covered with spines.

Acanthocephala <Xpage=10>

A*can`tho*ceph"a*la (#) , n. pl. [NL., from Gr. <?/ a spine, thorn + <?/ head.] (Zo\'94l.) A group of intestinal worms, having the proboscis armed with recurved spines.

Acanthocephalous <Xpage=10>

A*can`tho*ceph"a*lous (#) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Having a spiny head, as one of the Acanthocephala.

Acanthophorous <Xpage=10>

Ac`an*thoph"o*rous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ spine + <?/ to bear.] Spine-bearing.

Gray.

Acanthopodious <Xpage=10>

A*can`tho*po"di*ous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ thorn + <?/, <?/, foot.] (Bot.) Having spinous petioles.

Acanthopteri <Xpage=10>

Ac`an*thop"ter*i (#) , n. pl. [NL., from Gr. <?/ thorn + <?/ wing, fin.] (Zo\'94l.) A group of teleostean fishes having spiny fins. See Acanthopterygii .

Acanthopterous <Xpage=10>

Ac`an*thop"ter*ous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ spine + <?/ wing.] 1. (Zo\'94l.) Spiny-winged.

2. (Zo\'94l.) Acanthopterygious.

Acanthopterygian <Xpage=10>

Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*an (#) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Belonging to the order of fishes having spinose fins, as the perch. -- n. A spiny-finned fish.

Acanthopterygii <Xpage=10>

Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*i (#) , n. pl. [NL., from Gr. <?/ thorn + <?/ fin, dim. fr. <?/ wing.] (Zo\'94l.) An order of fishes having some of the rays of the dorsal, ventral, and anal fins unarticulated and spinelike, as the perch.

Acanthopterygious <Xpage=10>

Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*ous (#) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Having fins in which the rays are hard and spinelike; spiny-finned.

Acanthus <Xpage=10>

A*can"thus (#) , n. ; pl. E. Acanthuses (#) , L. Acanthi (#) . [L., from Gr. <?/. Cf. Acantha .]

1. (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous prickly plants, found in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India; bear's-breech.

2. (Arch.) An ornament resembling the foliage or leaves of the acanthus (Acanthus spinosus) ; -- used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders.

A cappella <Xpage=10>

A cap*pel"la (#) . [It. See Chapel .] (Mus.) (a) In church or chapel style; -- said of compositions sung in the old church style, without instrumental accompaniment; as, a mass a capella , i. e., a mass purely vocal . (b) A time indication, equivalent to alla breve .

Acapsular <Xpage=10>

A*cap"su*lar (#) , a. [Pref. a- not + capsular .] (Bot.) Having no capsule.

Acardiac <Xpage=10>

A*car"di*ac (#) , a. [Gr. <?/; <?/ priv. + <?/ heart.] Without a heart; as, an acardiac fetus .

Acaridan <Xpage=10>

A*car"i*dan (#) , n. [See Acarus .] (Zo\'94l.) One of a group of arachnids, including the mites and ticks.

Acarina <Xpage=10>

Ac`a*ri"na (#) , n. pl. [NL., from Gr. <?/ a mite.] (Zo\'94l.) The group of Arachnida which includes the mites and ticks. Many species are parasitic, and cause diseases like the itch and mange.

Acarine <Xpage=10>

Ac"a*rine (#) , a. (Med.) Of or caused by acari or mites; as, acarine diseases .

Acaroid <Xpage=10>

Ac"a*roid (#) , a. [NL., acarus a mite + -oid .] (Zo\'94l.) Shaped like or resembling a mite.

Acarpellous <Xpage=10>

Ac`ar*pel"lous (#) , a. [Pref. a- not + carpel .] (Bot.) Having no carpels.

Acarpous <Xpage=10>

A*car"pous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/; <?/ priv. + <?/ fruit.] (Bot.) Not producing fruit; unfruitful.

Acarus <Xpage=10>

Ac"a*rus (#) , n. ; pl. Acari (#) . [NL., from Gr. <?/ the cheese mite, tick.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus including many species of small mites.

Acatalectic <Xpage=10>

A*cat`a*lec"tic (#) , a. [L. acatalecticus , Gr. <?/, not defective at the end; <?/ priv. + <?/ to cease.] (Pros.) Not defective; complete; as, an acatalectic verse . -- n. A verse which has the complete number of feet and syllables.

Acatalepsy <Xpage=10>

A*cat"a*lep`sy (#) , n. [Gr. <?/; <?/ priv. + <?/ to seize, comprehend.] Incomprehensibility of things; the doctrine held by the ancient Skeptic philosophers, that human knowledge never amounts to certainty, but only to probability.

Acataleptic <Xpage=10>

A*cat`a*lep"tic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/.] Incapable of being comprehended; incomprehensible.

Acater <Xpage=10>

A*ca"ter (#) , n. See Caterer . [Obs.]

Acates <Xpage=10>

A*cates" (#) , n. pl. See Cates . [Obs.]

Acaudate <Xpage=10>

A*cau"date (#) , a. [Pref. a- not + caudate .] Tailless.

Acaulescent <Xpage=10>

Ac`au*les"cent (#) , a. [Pref. a- not + caulescent .] (Bot.) Having no stem or caulis, or only a very short one concealed in the ground.

Gray.

Acauline <Xpage=10>

A*cau"line (#) , a. [Pref. a- not + cauline .] (Bot.) Same as Acaulescent .

Acaulose, Acaulous <Xpage=10>

A*cau"lose (#) , A*cau"lous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/; <?/ priv. + <?/ stalk or L. caulis stalk. See Cole .] (Bot.) Same as Acaulescent .

Accadian <Xpage=10>

Ac*ca"di*an (#) , a. [From the city Accad . See Gen. x. 10.] Pertaining to a race supposed to have lived in Babylonia before the Assyrian conquest.

-- Ac*ca"di*an , n. , Ac"cad (#) , n.

Sayce.

Accede <Xpage=10>

Ac*cede" (#) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Acceded ; p. pr. & vb. n. Acceding .] [L. accedere to approach, accede; ad + cedere to move, yield: cf. F. acc \'82 dere . See Cede .]

1. To approach; to come forward; -- opposed to recede . [Obs.]

T. Gale.

2. To enter upon an office or dignity; to attain.

Edward IV., who had acceded to the throne in the year 1461. T. Warton.

If Frederick had acceded to the supreme power . Morley.

3. To become a party by associating one's self with others; to give one's adhesion. Hence, to agree or assent to a proposal or a view; as, he acceded to my request .

The treaty of Hanover in 1725 . . . to which the Dutch afterwards acceded . Chesterfield.